Garrett County Community Action Committee Receives $220,000 Grant for Homeownership Program

The program is one of 13 projects to be funded through the Community Development Block Grant program

NEW CARROLLTON, MD (September 13, 2023) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has announced that the Garrett County Community Action Committee has received a $220,000 grant through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The federal grant, administered by DHCD, will be used to provide funding for down payment assistance and closing costs for first time homebuyers.

Grant funds will support the Garrett County Community Action Committee’s efforts to promote homeownership for low- to moderate-income county residents. To date, the committee has helped more than 500 individuals and families achieve homeownership through programs like the Garrett County Pathway to Homeownership Program and the Homeownership Education & Finance Program, which provides prospective homeowners with important information about financial, legal, and other issues related to the homebuying process.

“The Department award directly contributes to Garrett County’s goal that all County residents will be able to live in comfortable, safe, and affordable housing by assisting first time homebuyers with the downpayment assistance required to purchase a home,” said Paul Edwards, Board of Garrett County Commissioner Chairman.

“The required down payment to purchase a home is the single biggest barrier confronting first time low- and moderate-income buyers,” said Katherine Shadel, asset development director at the Garrett County Community Action Committee. “Between the county’s Pathway to Home Ownership project and the CDBG award, over 70 households will be able to purchase a home in Garrett County.”

More than $5 million in Fiscal Year 2024 Community Development Block Grants were awarded to 13 projects in eight counties across Maryland, including improvements to infrastructure and community facilities, as well as programs serving homeless persons, persons with disabilities, and low- to moderate-income individuals.

“Maryland’s local leaders have their finger on the pulse of their residents and communities, each with its unique needs,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “With the partnership of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, we’re excited to be a part of helping promote affordable homeownership in Garrett County.”

The national Community Development Block Grant program was enacted into law by Congress as part of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Since then, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program has supported community redevelopment, affordable housing, and the expansion of economic opportunities. CDBG consists of two parts — the Entitlement Program, managed by HUD and providing federal funds directly to larger metropolitan counties and cities, and the States and Small Cities Program, providing federal funds to states which distribute assistance to more rural counties, cities and towns.

For a full list of awards, please visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Documents/PressReleases/SFY24-CDBG-Awards.pdf.